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Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker & Giveaway

Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

**Warning - This is a Mature YA/New Adult book. Contains sex and violence**

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A Tucker

Papoti Books

Released Today!!!

Reviewed by: AmyG (big sis)

Sister's Say: Tender, Tramatic and Triumphant

I'm not a hugely emotional person. Actually let me say it this way, I'm not a hugely sad person. I like to be happy and freak out over fun things, but I hate to cry. However, some of my favorite books are ones that make me cry, but are worth it. It can't just make me cry for the heck of it, but it has to make me cry from desperation and then absolute joy for the characters at the conclusion! And let me just say, at the end of TTB, there were tears for both!

Ten Tiny Breaths is a beautiful portrayal of how life can go on even after the biggest tragedies. That in the midst of darkness, light can still be found. Kacey is our main protagonist and life has dealt her a terrible hand. In one fail swoop, she lost her parents, her best friend, her boyfriend and was left with a broken body. How does someone really move on after that? I'm not sure that is even possible. Kacey is a character that will stick with me forever. She's brave, messy, and tough. She's figured out how to wake up every morning and keep going. Her coping is not pretty or glamorous, but it's so easy to see yourself in her shoes. Kacey has built a wall around herself and the only person allowed behind that wall is her sister Livie.
The dynamic between Kacey and Livie keeps the story interesting. Kacey is hard, jaded, and experienced where Livie is soft, sweet and innocent. They are 2 separate people, but at time because of Kacey's brokenness, they function as one. Kacey is the adult but Livie is the heart. Coming to Florida opens up all kinds of surprises for the girls. One such surprise is boy next door, Trent. Trent is pure dreaminess!!! He's cool and aloof one second, but the next he is hot and intense. Everything about him is a mystery. He comes and goes as he pleases, seems to have plenty of money and has a deep interest in Kacey. He makes Kacey feel alive again and forces her to deal with her trauma long swept under the rug. He's exactly what she needs, but there are things in his past that hold the power to destroy Kacey for good. Honestly, he's amazing and one of my favorite fictional guy characters to date! This book is like a huge giant sundae, but Trent is that yummy cherry on top!

One of the things I thought would really bother me was when Storm (their very beautiful next door neighbor) helps get Kacey a job bar tending at a strip club. I remember the first time they walk into the club, and I was thinking "Awww man, this makes me really uncomfortable." However, Ms. Tucker turns this den of iniquity into a place with real people, with personalities, with feeling, who all have such interesting back stories of their own. When she writes the scenes in the club, it never feels slimy or gross, K.A. does an amazing job developing all the characters that work there, from the bouncers, to the club owner to the girls.

Okay, I know this is getting long, so just a few more things. The ending, yes the ending!!! Let's just say there are twists and turns that will rip your heart out, stomp on it, then heal it and put it right back in your chest. It's emotional, breathtaking and absolutely beautiful! After I finished, I was emotionally spent, but I was so so so proud of the characters. They all came so far and overcame such wretched circumstances. Everyone of them came out diamonds after enduring so much pressure. Well done Ms. Tucker, your Ten Tiny Breaths has left me completely breathless!

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.